Headlines from around the web regarding hiring, assessment and other human resource issues in public safety.

Join forces with other first responders for stronger opioid response

PoliceOne | Addressing the opioid epidemic requires a coordinated and collaborative effort by police and other first responders. New approaches must expand beyond simple street enforcement and detaining subjects for possession or transporting them to the hospital after an overdose. This will require detailed information sharing and cooperation between police, public safety agencies, hospital personnel, fire and EMS.

Stop-And-Frisk Settlement Requires Significant Milwaukee Police Department Reforms

WUWM | Last year, the ACLU sued the city of Milwaukee, based on the police department’s stop-and-frisk program. An analysis of police stops in Milwaukee found significant racial bias in who was being stopped and the areas where these stops were occurring. A settlement was reached in July.

$10M grant allocated to improve NY 911 response

FireRescue1 | According to a press release, the Public Safety Answering Points Operations Grant, administered by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, will be allocated to 57 counties and New York City to allow them to improve dispatch operations and 911 response.

Canadian Police Association Urges Officers to Seek Help after 3 Officers Die by Suicide

Police Magazine | The president of the Ontario Provincial Police Association is urging members to seek help to deal with trauma they experience on the job after learning that three officers in the force took their lives over a three-week time period, according to CTV News Toronto.

5 concepts for effective contraband control training

CorrectionsOne | Approaches to a contraband control module will vary, with the institutional training officer and warden having the final say on specifics. The main goal for any corrections facility is a well-prepared body of staff willing and capable of identifying, removing and documenting contraband in order to maintain a safe facility. Here are the top five contraband control concepts.

A Plague of Deadly Hesitation, De-Motivation, and De-Policing in America

Police Magazine | Police in a variety of places have talked about trepidation to act when action is the only reasonable response. They have spoken about fearing the aftermath of a deadly force encounter more than the incident itself. The author of the article speaks of two serious ramifications of this hesitancy.

Update: Firefighters sue Verizon over slow data speeds

FireFighting News | From The Mercury News … Santa Clara County firefighters deployed to the two Mendocino Complex fires experienced internet speeds slashed to 1/200 that of previous speeds by Verizon. Despite multiple requests to Verizon to turn off the throttling — the slowing down of data speeds — in order to communicate with other firefighters, Verizon did not do so and even suggested the department should pay more for a better data plan during the fire, according to Bowden.

Tier Talk: Should we follow up on the charges we write? (Podcast)

CorrectionsOne | In this episode of Tier Talk, Anthony Gangi discusses whether corrections officers should or shouldn’t follow up on charges that they write.

HERO HIGHLIGHT

We have two for you this week, both from firefighters.

Firefighters rescue kids from quicksand-like mudflats

FireRescue1 | In Shaker Heights, Ohio, two children, aged 7 and 10, were rescued by a group of firefighters from quicksand-like mudflats at Horseshoe Lake. “We’ve practiced for it. We had everything we needed,” Chief Patrick Sweeney said. “These kids, they stayed calm, which really helped us out a lot.”

Video: Firefighter speaks out about first responder suicide risk

FireRescue1 | We’re including this story in our Hero Highlight because this man (Phil Hall) had the courage to speak up about his personal experience of seeking treatment for his suicidal thoughts — and did so in an effort to help others. “The stuff just starts piling up, right?” he said. “(You think) the only way to stop all the nightmares, the flashbacks, and all the other life stresses that pile up on you is to tap out.” Hall is now urging other firefighters to not feel ashamed and to seek help in dealing with the high stress that come with the job.